This is the Time
by Otaku Tess
Summary: Holy crud! My first Song Fic, my first Romance, my first "Otacon Free Zone" (well, amost.) Is the appocolyps NOW?! Er. My thoughts on what happened between Snake & Meryl.


**Disclaimer- **_Metal Gear Solid, Snake, Meryl, Otacon et al. are © Konami and Hideo Kojima-Sama. Not me... ;_; So, please don't use me as a punching bag or anything. My bones are brittle and break easily. I have an Achilles Body. Thank you.  
****_  


  
"This Is The Time"  
_By: Otaku Tess_  
Song By: Billy Joel  


  
  


_"We walked on the beach beside that old hotel  
They're tearing it down now  
But it's just as well...  
I haven't shown you everything a man can do...  
So stay with me, baby,  
I've got plans for you..."_  


  
I walked quietly beside Dave as the cold breeze ruffled our hair and clothing. I paused a moment in to dig my toes into the sand. It was cold, but I hadn't really worn shoes in days. Dave had been lost in thought for much of the walk, but my stopping snapped him back to reality.  
  
"You'll catch a cold going out like this everyday." Dave said, stopping beside me.  
  
"Yeah yeah..." I sighed, slipping my arm through his. I looked out at the ocean as I had done so many times before... It never ceased to amaze me. I had never had a chance to really take notice of these little things before Dave and I left Shadow Moses together. I never knew how wonderful life could be, I never realized how many things there were in the world worth living for, fighting being the least of them. "Thank you, Dave." I smiled, leaning closer to him.  
  
"Hm...? What for...?" He asked in surprise.  
  
"For..." I paused, this was the time -- _This is the time ... to tell him what's on my mind._ "For saving my life..."  
  
"...?" He stopped to turn to me.  
  
"It's just that..." I blushed, "Well..." _Please don't sound sappy, please don't sound sappy_. "Since you saved my life on Shadow Moses ... you saved the rest of my life too. I had been conditioned to never fall in love, but -- then you came along and --"  
  
"Meryl..." He started to interrupt.  
  
"Let me finish, Dave. I've been wanting to tell you this for a while." I took another deep breath, "Then you came and, well... At first I thought you were a real bastard..."  
  
He chuckled.  
  
"... But, then I met you in person ..." I paused, turning to look into his eyes, "You're eyes..."  
  
He blinked, "My eyes?"  
  
"You're eyes were _on fire_ when I first ran into you at the DARPA Chief's cell..." I paused, "Huhn, I'd thought you were Liquid. -- But, then, when I met up with you again in the bathroom..." I paused to run my hand through his hair, "The fire had died down ... it was like ... soft glowing embers. It was amazing..." I leaned in to kiss him, but stopped myself. "Uhm... Where was I?" _Finish, dummy!_ "... When I got to talk to you and fight along side you... -- You were what I wanted to be, Dave. A great warrior, living in the moment... I'd looked up to you since I was eight years old... -- But, seeing you be compassionate--"  
  
"..!" He started to interrupt.  
  
"--With me you were. You let me go with you when it was against your better judgment because you knew it was something I needed to do. -- and with Psycho Mantis, too. I never would have let that thing talk ... but ... you did, with everything you did you grew more and more compassionate -- And you ... saved me."  
  
Dave leaned in to give me a hug, I sighed. I looked out to the ocean, the sun was getting low. "But...That's not all I wanted to say." I began again. He leaned back to hold me at arms length. I began to walk again as I spoke. He slipped his hand into mine to join me.  
  
"But if I hadn't of started to fall in love with you there -- It scares me to think I might have never fallen in love if it weren't for you."  
  
"Huh, well if you could fall in love with _me_ --"  
  
"No! You don't understand. You -- I already cared for you. All my life I'd wanted to meet you. My uncle had told me about you, I'd heard about you when I became a soldier. I'd cared for you before you ever even knew I was alive. Meeting you saved my life. It was like a dream come true... I guess caring for someone _before_ the therapy kinda broke the spell ... or something. I don't really know. But I wanted to thank you ... for caring for me back... Having you here ... helps me live. -- I want us to have a normal life, Dave... Together..."  
  
He smiled down at me, pausing in the sand. I sensed he didn't know what to say or do next. He was still getting used to this relationship thing, "You don't have to say anything." I smiled, pulling him close and finally kissing him. _Maybe that did sound sappy, but at least he knows._  
  
And... I'd just wanted him to know ... how thankful I was.  
  
  


"_This is the time to remember  
Cause it will not last forever...  
These are the days  
To hold on to  
Cause we won't  
Although we'll want to...  
This is the time,  
But time is gonna change...  
You've given me the best of you  
And now I need the rest of you..."  
_

  
  
I smiled to myself as I hopped onto the bed in our apartment, then looked out the window as the sun set. Dave and I had moved to California shortly after the Shadow Moses incident, my Uncle was paying for our apartment while Snake and I were looking for jobs -- He'd said it was "the least he could do."  
  
We moved to California mainly because Natasha Romanenko had insisted that we would be safer if we left Alaska immediately. Besides, she, as well as Dr. Hal Emmerich and Mei-Ling (who had moved here also), wanted our help starting an Anti-Metal Gear Organization of some kind. I, personally, wasn't very interested... Dave helped them out from time to time, but I preferred to leave all of that behind me. I had something even more important to live for now. I was through fighting. Even if it was in the form of an organization fighting politically, rather than armies fighting physically. I just wanted to relax and have a normal life.  
  
"Dave?" I asked, flopping back on the bed.  
  
"Yeah?" He asked, walking in from the kitchen.  
  
"We've been together awhile..." I smiled.  
  
"Over 3 months." He answered.  
  
"Pretty amazing, huh?" I sighed, and leaned over to drape my arms around his neck.  
  
He smiled at me, and turned me to face him so he could hold me. "I'm still no good at this..." He sighed, embarrassed.  
  
"Don't worry about it. I love you." It just came out completely natural. -- It took me a moment to realize I'd never said it before. _I love you._ It had always been implied, everytime we kissed, or embraced, or talked, or went to a movie together... But we'd never said it outright to each other.  
  
Dave paused. He brushed some hair out of my eyes tenderly, then smiled, "I love you too, Meryl."  
  
Hearing that had been better than any hug or kiss or walk on the beach he could have given me. I bit my lip as tears welled up in my eyes. I hadn't realized how happy I was until just then. Never in my life had anyone told me they'd loved me. "No-one has ever said that to me before..." I wavered, as a tear rolled down my cheek.  
  
"Me either..." Dave smiled, drawing his thumb across my cheek to wipe away the tear. I smiled, and took his head in my hands, blinking at last, allowing the tears to stream down my face. I pulled him close and guided him to kiss away my tears. When he finished, I moved to kiss him on the lips. As I tilted his head in my hands I felt something trickle across my fingers.  
  
I pulled away. "Dave..." I started. He was crying too.  
  
"Forget about it." He smiled, moving in to kiss me again. I didn't object. Shortly I found myself laying back on the bed. Dave followed, pressing his body against mine while we lay there.  
  
"Dave..." I gasped, pulling away from the kiss.  
  
"Hm...?" He asked, somewhat dazed. I smiled.  
  
"Dave... We've shared this bed for a while now..." I felt my face warm up, "But ... we never really--"  
  
He put a finger to my lips, "I know." He said, "I wanted to wait til you were ready."  
  
"Oh! ...Thank you..." I uttered softly. I blushed again, then leaned forward to kiss him once more. "This is the time, then." I smiled.  
  
"Are you sure?" Dave asked.  
  
I nodded. He smiled and leaned down to kiss me.  
  
This was definitely the time...  
  
  


_"Did you know that before you came into my life  
It was some kind of miracle that I survived?  
Someday we will both look back  
And have to laugh...  
We lived through a lifetime  
And the aftermath!"  
  
_

  
I awoke the next morning to the sun screaming in my face through the big picture window in the bedroom. I squinted and got up to throw the blinds down, and then crawled back into bed next to Dave.  
  
"Hmmm...." I sighed, draping an arm across his bare chest.  
  
_What a night.... _I grinned to myself.  
  
I heard Dave sigh and ruffle the sheets as he awoke. He rolled over, turning to me.  
  
"Hm, good morning." I smiled, looking into his soft ember eyes.  
  
"'Morning." He answered gruffly, but neither of us got up. We just laid there, quietly holding each other.  
  
"I don't want this to end." I mumbled.  
  
Dave was silent. "Me either." He sighed at last, looking up to the ceiling. "Me either..." I couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking, and I lay there for a moment considering whether or not to ask.  
  
"What are you thinking about?" I ventured at last.  
  
"This is the time..." He answered with a sigh. "I was living for."  
  
  


_"This is the time to remember  
Cause it will not last forever...  
These are the days  
To hold on to,  
Cause we won't  
Although we want to!  
This is the time,  
But time is gonna change...  
I know we've got to move somehow,  
But I don't want to lose you now..."_  


  


**~*~**  


  
Things were looking good for us now. Dave and I were doing great! I'd gotten a job as a trainer at a nearby gym, and was probably going to work my way to manager in no time. Dave hadn't gotten a job yet. He said that Natasha and Hal needed his help with "Philanthropy" now, and he didn't have a lot of time at the moment to look into any jobs. But our relationship got better everyday, and I don't suppose I could have been happier ... except, maybe, for Philanthropy...  
  
"Philanthropy," the name of the Anti-Metal Gear Organization. -- I didn't mind Dave helping them... I think it's a worthwhile cause, definitely... But, I just worry that it might get too serious sometimes. I mean, currently they're attempting to earn recognition from the United Nations... -- and I hope that they can -- It's just, sometimes it seems as though the Metal Gear threat may be harder to overcome than they realize... I don't want anyone to get in over their heads.  
  
"Hey, Meryl..." Dave sighed, walking in.  
  
"David!" I exclaimed, hopping off the couch, where I had been half watching Animal Planet and half lost in thoughts. "Do you know what tomorrow is?" I smiled.  
  
"Hmm..." He said, putting mock thought into it, "You're birthday?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"_My_ birthday?"  
  
I giggled, "Nope."  
  
"Our first year anniversary." He smiled.  
  
"Yep." I chirped, as he pulled me close to kiss me. One year we'd been together. One year since we'd left Shadow Moses together. _How could something so wonderful come out of something like that? _I thought to myself as we broke the kiss.  
  
"So, Dave," I began, moving into the living room to sit on the couch. Dave followed and turned off the TV, "What did Natasha and Hal want?"  
  
"Well..." He paused, "Primarily they wondered why you won't join..."  
  
"I joined. I believe in the cause. I just don't care to get involved in the politics... I thought we talked about this?"  
  
"We did..." Dave said thoughtfully, "But, we finally got recognized by the UN and--"  
  
"Really? That's wonderful!" I smiled.  
  
"Yeah... But -- we would really like your support if things don't go exactly as we hope." He said, hesitantly.  
  
"Dave... What are you saying? What's going on?" I frowned.  
  
"Well, nothing yet. But Hal and I were talking about what alternatives we would have if Philanthropy loses its recognition, or if something unforeseen goes wrong."  
  
"Unforeseen? Like what?" I asked, getting concerned.  
  
"Nothing certain! Hypothetically."  
  
"So, what's happening? Hypothetically." I asked, cocking an eyebrow.  
  
"We were just thinking, if we had to ... one of the options would be to destroy the Metal Gears ourselves. You know what a threat it's becoming. More militaries all over the world are developing their own Metal Gears. We have to be realistic ... if Philanthropy can't generate enough support, we might be forced to take things into our own hands."  
  
"_That_'s being realistic?!" I shouted, standing up, "David, you can't be serious! Please do not take part in that....!"  
  
"Woah! Meryl." Snake said, reaching out to calm me, slowly he coaxed me back into the couch, "Please. Nothing's happened yet. Things are going well... I just wanted to tell you what's going on. It affects you... -- No secrets. I just wanted to keep you informed. I'm not going anywhere, I promise."  
  
"Why can't we have a normal life?" I whimpered, leaning against his chest. He sighed and put his arms around me.  
  
"Because ... this is the time ... when things start to get serious..." He sighed, running his fingers through my hair. "I don't want to lose you over this, Meryl... But I need you to know it's important..."  
  
I nodded, holding him closer. "Just don't do anything stupid, okay?"  
  
"Okay..." Dave sighed comfortingly. "Hm... Okay..."  
  
  


_"Sometimes it's so easy  
To let a day  
Slip on by  
Without even seeing each other at all!  
But this is the time you'll turn back, and so will I...  
And those will be the days you can never recall..."_  


  


**~*~**  


  
I yawned, as I walked into the apartment and flicked on the lights, it had been a long day at work and I couldn't wait to tell David about the rather large lady who had come in asking me to help her lose 100 pounds in 20 days. "Dave?" I called absently. No response. "Hm ... must be out." I muttered to myself, this is the third time this week he hasn't been home. I grumbled as I walked past the answering machine and hit play. I listened to the messages as I went back into my bedroom to get changed for bed.  
  
_"You have... THREE .... Messages._" ** Beep! ** The machine buzzed, as I pulled off my top. "_Hey, Meryl, Snake. This is Roy... Call me about the rent, okay?" _ **Beep!**  
  
"H'okay." I grumbled.  
  
"_Hi... Meryl. S'Jay... Want to go do something after work tomorrow? Provided you're not working late again like you did today. -- And by 'do something' I mean, you know, just a casual meeting with a friend. Nothing serious. So if you're boyfriend asks then just tell hi--_" **Beep!**  
  
I snickered. Jason Huizar. He had been trying to get me to go out with him since I'd started working at 24 Hour Fitness. A nice guy, but in all other ways pretty annoying.  
  
"_Meryl, I might not be home until late tonight. We just got some important information from Otacon. I'll talk to you about it later. Don't be too mad. I'll be home all tomorrow._" **Beep!**  
  
"Urrgg..." I groaned falling into bed. I could have stayed up for another hour considering what to say to Dave when he got back, but I was much too tired, so I fell asleep instead.  
  
When I woke up later it was dark outside, but the light was on in the living room and someone was shuffling around. "Dave?" I yawned, dragging myself out of bed and into the living room. "Did you just get back?" I asked upon seeing Dave heading towards me.  
  
"Oh, you're awake." He blinked.  
  
"Yeah. I was waiting up for you." I lied.  
  
"It's 2:00!" He exclaimed.  
  
"So, what was the 'important information'?" I continued, leaning in the doorway.  
  
"Oh, n-nothing. I'll tell you in the morning." He said hastily, pushing past me into the bedroom.  
  
"What?" I asked. _Something's up. _ "What? Tell me now."  
  
"In the morning." He persisted, sitting on the edge of the bed to pull of his shoes and jeans. "I'm tired."  
  
"And I waited up for you to find out. Tell me now." I frowned.  
  
"Well, Hal found some information about a Metal Gear being built by the Military. He needs to look into it further. He said he wanted to 'back up his source' or something... But, he thinks it would be best if we relocated ourselves in New York to deal with this... It looks like I might have some covert missions to deal with."  
  
"What? New York? Why? What the hell is going on? I thought this was political! -- I like it here!" I shouted hysterically.  
  
Dave got up and pulled me into a hug trying to calm me. "Shh! Shh... He's looking into it. But, right now that seems like how it's going to be. We need to prove that this Metal Gear exists, and --"  
  
"No, Dave!" I cried, "You promised you wouldn't do this! You have to stay here, we have a life! -- We have to have a normal life.... And _this isn't a normal life_!" I shouted, fighting back tears, "... is this more important than I am...?"  
  
There was a long silence as he held me close.  
  
"Answer me..." I sniffed, looking up at him.  
  
"This is _not _the time." He grunted, releasing me and turning to climb into bed. "We'll talk tomorrow... But ... this is not the time."  
  
  


_"And so we embrace again  
Behind the dunes...  
This beach is cold  
On winter afternoons,  
But holding you close is like holding the summer sun...  
I'm warm from the memory of days to come!"  
_

  


**~*~  
**

  
I walked quietly beside Dave as the cold breeze ruffled our hair and clothing. I paused a moment in to dig my toes into the sand. I didn't pay much attention to the cold anymore. Dave had been lost in thought for much of the walk, but my stopping snapped him back to reality.  
  
"This is our last night together...."  
  
"Yeah..." Dave responded sadly.  
  
"Almost 2 years.... in just three more months it would have been..." I said, my lower lip quivered.  
  
There was a long silence as I looked out at the afternoon sun. Finally I started walking again, Dave followed quietly.  
  
"I'm sorry, Meryl..." He started softly.  
  
"I know. I'll be fine." I folded my arms pointedly.  
  
"Meryl, please..." Dave started, reaching out to me as we stopped behind a large sand dune.  
  
"Please what?" I growled turning on him. He stepped back.  
  
"I will always love you... I just wanted you to know that..." He muttered, looking to me apologetically.  
  
I was caught by his burning ember eyes, and I stepped towards him slowly. I couldn't stay mad at that. "Dave... Please don't leave!" I cried throwing my arms around him as I involuntarily burst into tears.  
  
"We've been through this..." Dave uttered softly.  
  
"I know..." I frowned, sniffling into his chest. "You have a job to do. I understand that now."  
  
"Listen, Meryl." He said, tilting my head up so I would look up at him, "You gave me something to live for -- Something to fight for... But we can't allow weapons like Metal Gear to continue existing. -- That's something else to live for -- to fight for... For everyone's future. Not just our own."  
  
I nodded slowly, sniffing back my tears.  
  
"Meryl..." He started, but I put a finger to his lips, all anger I had previously felt gone. Now I was just sad, sad and lonely.  
  
"Forget about it." I said, looking up at him, I smiled sadly. I wiped my tears away with my hand. "I'll be okay. I really will... I'll just -- miss you."  
  
"Are you sure you don't want to come with me?" Dave ventured hopefully.  
  
"Yes! Yes... I need to live this life, Dave. I'm sorry. This life ... this is _my_ dream. Up until I met you I was living someone else's dream. Now I want a normal life..." I whimpered, praying he would change his mind.  
  
"I know... But look -- Don't wait up for me, okay? I want you ... to see other people." He said gruffly. "Get on with your life."  
  
I nodded, holding him closer, "I'll try, David... I'll try. But, you try to too. If you meet someone else. -- Don't look back..." I looked up at him as a drop of salt water hit my cheek.  
  
"Dave..." I uttered. I stood up on my tip toes and leaned in to kiss his tears away. But before I could finish he pulled me into a long kiss. I savored it for a long time.  
  
Finally we broke the kiss, "I love you..." Our voices sounded together, as we looked to each other, our eyes meeting. There was a long silence before either of us spoke.  
  
"I want you to know that--." "Dave, I wish you could--" We both burst out.  
  
"Sorry..." I said looking away. "Go ahead."  
  
"I just ... wanted to say that... If things go well...-- if this ends sooner then we think, then I _will _come back--" He paused.  
  
"And if things don't go well?"  
  
"Then... I'd like to think that ... we'll be able to see each other again someday. When the fighting stops. When our mission is complete -- then I'll take you up on that normal life." He smiled softly, his ember eyes sparkling back at me.  
  
"I'd like that." I smiled, "And trust me. When you _do_ come back -- when this is over with... I'll be more than willing to take you back."  
  
"Even if you're with someone else?"  
  
I nodded. "Of course. I could never be as serious with someone else."  
  
"Me either." He sighed.  
  
"Don't let it keep us from living, Dave. -- Fight for me. Okay?"  
  
"Everyday." He responded without missing a beat.  
  
"I think..." I said, leaning closer, "This is the time ... to say good bye--" I started, cutting myself off with a sob.  
  
"This is the time..."  
  
  
  


_"This is the time to remember  
Cause it will not last forever...  
These are the days  
To hold on to!  
But we won't  
Although we'll want to...  
This is the time...  
But time is gonna change!  
You've given me the best of you  
But now I need the rest of you..."  
  
  
_

When Snake made his way to luggage pick up, he met with a very impatient Otacon. "Geeze. I was afraid you would never get here."  
  
"Blame it on the whether." Snake responded sardonically. Then let out a sigh as he looked around desperately for a moment, secretly hoping that Meryl would show up, that she had changed her mind and would join them after all. But he was ripped from his reverie by his friend, fortunately Otacon had been watching the luggage conveyor belt and failed to notice Snake's searching eyes.  
  
"What am I looking for?" Otacon paused, waiting for Snake's luggage to appear.  
  
"Nothing. Everything I have is carry on." Snake responded, holding up a small duffle bag. "Let's get out of here."  
  
"Oh, okay." Otacon sighed, leading Snake to his car. Otacon pulled his coat around him to warm himself from the cold. "Sheesh. Big difference from California. Too bad Natasha wouldn't come with us..."  
  
"Yeah..." Snake answered coldly.  
  
"Hey, Snake...?" Otacon started as soon as they were in the car.  
  
"How did everything go with Meryl?"  
  
"I don't want to talk about it..."  
  
"Are ya ... sure? Because, you know... I'll listen." Otacon said helpfully.  
  
"We agreed to see other people." Snake answered flatly.  
  
"Oh ... that bad...? -- Hmm... I'm sorry. I hope you're not too upset."  
  
"I'll be okay. This is the time to be thinking about other things. Don't worry about it."  
  
"All right..." Otacon sighed, backing off.  
  
All Snake could do was sigh to himself, and pray that everything would go well... And even if it didn't ... he would at least have someone to live for._  
_

  
  
**FIN.**_  
  
  
  
  
  
_

Notes: _ yey. My first song fic!! Well, First of all ... most of you probably don't know the song. Some of you might not even know Billy Joel, though that might be jumping to conclusions. But, if you liked this fic, and don't know the song ... then make a trip to Napster or KaZaA, or BearShare or whatever the heck you have, and download it... Because it's a really pretty song! You need to hear it as well as follow the lyrics to understand fully why I picked if for this fic.  
Secondly... I wanted to do something different from the average thought that Snake and Meryl ... uhm... "made love" as soon as they got away from Shadow Moses. I don't believe in love at first sight. I think that Shadow Moses was the _beginning _of their relationship, and that both of them would want to get to know each other better before they went that far.  
Oh, and originally, I was planning to do the fic from Snake's POV ... but I decided it would be more interesting to have the song represent Snake's thoughts before and after the scenes that had been played out.... And then have the actual body of the story be from Meryl's POV.  
I threw Otacon in at the end for Tradition's Sake. I don't want people thinking the apocalypse is here _yet_!  
Geeze I'm freezing.  
Otaku Out.  
  
_


End file.
